Every summer, Social Fridays gives us a reason to gather. This year, it gave us something more: four Fridays of honest, inspiring conversations with women building businesses in El Paso and the surrounding community.
We invited emerging entrepreneurs to join us at GAL Fashion for happy hour and an open conversation about how their businesses began. We wanted to hear about the first spark of an idea, the work it took to bring that idea to life, the challenges along the way, and the dreams they’re still working toward. Our customers and guests joined in with questions of their own, making each Friday feel like a conversation among friends.
The women we met represented so many different passions: hair, nails, skincare, teeth whitening, flowers, consignment, jewelry, and cowboy boots. Each brought something new to the room. What made the panels memorable was hearing the person behind each business—the experiences that shaped her idea and the determination that kept her going.
I especially loved hearing from cowboy boot designer Leslie Zaragoza. Her story began with a childhood obsession with boots. Years later, she married a cowboy boot designer and created a line of her own for women and little girls. Hearing her describe that journey made her designs even more meaningful to me.
Two other stories reminded me that there is no deadline for beginning something new. After retiring, the owner of Found saw a need in Alamogordo for a place to shop gently used designer clothing and opened a consignment store to fill it. The owner of Solage also started a new chapter, creating a healthy, luxurious nail salon with products from the UK and a personal, appointment-based experience. Her daughter and I have known each other since elementary school, which made it especially lovely to hear her story. I’m a customer myself, and I highly recommend a visit.
These are only a few of the women who made this year’s Social Fridays so special. I came away with a deeper understanding of their businesses, but also with fresh inspiration for my own. Their stories were a reminder that a business often begins with something deeply personal: a lifelong love, a gap you see in your community, or a feeling that you’re ready to try something new.
To every woman who shared her story, thank you for your honesty and generosity. And to everyone who came, listened, asked questions, and supported them, thank you for making this our most successful Social Fridays yet. I’m already looking forward to next year.
New York Fashion Week: A Market Trip to Remember
September 24, 2026
